open Democracy News Analysis - Market Economy?, - Comments

kwatt on "Market Economy?"

kwatt — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 20:23:19 +0000

Not true. The deficit for 2006 was lower than 18 of the last 25 years as percent of gdp. It was the second consecutive year of declining deficits. At 1.9% of gdp, it is not huge. >> a) Absolutely false. The US has the largest economy in the world and it is gaining on China in real GDP terms, although China's current rate of growth is higher.(if the US economy, which is four times larger than China's is growing at 3%, and China is growing at rate of 8%, then we will be even farther ahead in real gdp terms at the end of this year. Of course, if this keeps up for 20 years, that will change) b) Meaningless gibberish c) Our water and air have been getting steadily cleaner for over 20 years. We have more timber in American now than at any time in the last 75 years. What are you referring to? d) More meaningless gibberish e) The EU has not improved the economic strength of European nations. What is the nature of this concern you speak of?

duvinrouge on "Market Economy?"

duvinrouge — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:18:59 +0000

Peter, Are you familiar with 'historical materialism'? It is a description of human history that places economic development as the main determinant of society. So before agriculture we had a hunter-gather society. With agriculture societies (at least in Europe) societies had landowners as the ruling class. With industrialisation the owners of capital came to dominant. The State just about everywhere reflects the interests of capital owners. But the capital owners either through the State or corporations are not collectively guiding what is happening. Individual capital owners seek to maximise their return through the market, even if the consequent behaviour is not what they want, i.e. ecological crisis. In this sense, the market is driving human behaviour, even if the collective result is not what we want. We have created something that controls us. Regards.

RhodGates on "Market Economy?"

RhodGates — Wed, 11 May 2005 04:08:56 +0100

There is no 'market economy'. That is pure mythology. Every nations' economy is directed by the State and Corporations. Especially the Western countries.

arias on "Market Economy?"

arias — Fri, 03 Sep 2004 21:56:55 +0100

There is no way to address the many issues included in your post. I cannot believe that an intelligent person can come to the conclusions you stated, although I believe you are intelligent. Where do you get your information? There is passionate debate within the USA about many of these issues. We respect that debate and defend the right to do so. What we cannot control is ignorance by others and an apparent refusal to recognize more than one opinion. How sad

Market Economy?,

peter.toner — Fri, 13 Aug 2004 13:59:47 +0100

The future of the worlds Market Economy is it viable - can it survive? Backdrop. We have had a jolly little war spark off recently, wars cost money, now lets see how it affects the economy of the USA and us. That there will be knock-on effect, possibly negative, seem certain, for some simple reasons. The US is currently carrying a huge deficit, about to pump billions of tax dollars back into the undeserving rich part of its economy, committed to increase budget on new defence toys is doing very little to counter its environmental waste and energy consumption which (as the largest user of oil and its derivatives) is forecasted to increase, has progressively more degraded and unsupported social structures and is increasingly under competitive. These are expanding economic and social problems in their own right, yet with these handicaps it would seem the suspicion is prevalent that the reason the US is promoting the current Iraq problem is more to do with (1) finishing unfinished business (2) are looking to the long team stability of its own raw material supplies (3) possibly seeking vengeance from soft target for nine eleven. All useful diversionary arguments but still imply a huge debilitating economic drain for any country to carry at a time when its own internal strength is questionable. Read the rest of this post...